When information is transmitted over a network, the information is typically transmitted as related messages of data. The related messages may be represented as a stream of individual frames. The individual frames may need to be processed in a specific order. In one example, the related messages are video/audio data. Frames may include both image data and audio data when the messages are video/audio data. The video/audio data may be created in a studio. The studio may use a studio clock to time stamp the frames of video/audio data. The studio may use a global positioning satellite (GPS) based clock to time stamp the frames. The video/audio data may be transmitted to a user of the video/audio data over the network.
A person may desire to view the video data. A rendering device will recreate the video images. A precise rendering clock assures a frame is rendered at the correct time. A frame may be rendered after the frame has traveled through a network. The time stamp on the frame may be used to assure that the image data of the frame is rendered in a correct sequence. The rendering clock uses the time stamp to assure that the frame is rendered at the correct time.
The video data and the audio data may be out of synchronization when the video data of the frame is not rendered at the correct time. A viewer of the video data may notice a lip-sync issue when the audio data and video data are out of synchronization. Unsynchronized video data may also appear jittery when the video data is not synchronized between frames.
Synchronization issues still occur even when the frames are time stamped. A rendering clock in a rendering device may cause the video data to become unsynchronized. Conventionally a crystal may be used to generate the rendering clock. Silicon transistors and other silicon components may be used with the crystal to implement the rendering clock. The operating characteristics of the crystal, transistors, and other silicon components change with variations in voltage and temperature. A frequency of the rendering clock changes when the operating characteristics change. The synchronization of the video data is lost when the frequency of the rendering clock changes. A more effective way of processing video data may be desired.